Powering the Nuclear Security Enterprise one project at a time

The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) is delivering on its largest workload in a decade. With national security missions being executed on more than 2,000 square miles of land area and spread across eight labs, plants, and sites in a range of world-class scientific, computing, engineering, and manufacturing spaces, NNSA needs a lot of power to get the job done.

Two recent projects, the 234-H Main Side Diesel Generator Replacement Project, and the Device Assembly Facility (DAF) Standby Power Replacement Project, are helping two of NNSA’s sites deliver on their critical missions.

The 234-H Main Side Diesel Generator Replacement Project at the Savannah River Site (SRS) in Aiken, South Carolina provided and expanded reliable and redundant power to NNSA’s tritium processing mission, thereby reducing risk, and improving resilience. The multi-stage project replaced the original 60-year-old diesel generator and upgraded the electrical feed for the entire facility to support current and additional capabilities. By replacing these components of the power system with a fully integrated permanent back-up power system, the SRS tritium mission will operate efficiently with increased security and renewed confidence.   

Similarly, the Nevada National Security Site’s (NNSS) DAF Standby Power Replacement Project addressed a critical gap in power reliability at the site’s nuclear flagship facilities. Many of DAF’s system components were old and difficult to maintain, and so required upgrades to its backup power system. In response, new technology batteries, transformers, and other components have been installed, thereby ensuring that potential power outages do not delay operations. A committed team of experts at NNSS safely completed this project during the pandemic, ensuring DAF will continue its critical mission work with reliable, effective, and uninterruptable power.

“These two projects that provide dependable and resilient power are integral modernization activities for NNSA to deliver its mission,” said Sheila Feddis, Director of the Office of Infrastructure Operations and Modernization. “We are grateful to the dedicated professionals across NNSA who are modernizing our infrastructure to meet the needs of the Enterprise.”

NNSA’s Office of Safety, Operations, and Infrastructure manages the mission risk of aging facilities and components through targeted maintenance and recapitalization investments identified with the help of its science-based infrastructure stewardship approach.

Learn more about NNSA’s Office of Safety, Operations, and Infrastructure.